TroubleandGrumpy

Israel PM has made an announcement that if Hamas releases all the hostages then they will stop. Hamas has not responded - if they do IMO they will demand that Israel stops and leaves first (so we can take back control of Gaza). Israel will not accept - they are going to destroy Hamas and this time, and they will not withdraw until it is done. Hamas only has to release all the hostages and the whole world will demand Israel stops. It is all on Hamas - all of it is on Hamas.

Hamas - all of them - if they are terrorists and support Hamas then they support the destruction of Irael and killing all Jews. Amazing how regates always complain when kids are accidently killed by Israel, but not the kids that Hamas deliberately butchered. No matter what you think of Israel troops - none of them will hack the head off a child and scream out a religious call. If you have not seen that yet - I suggest you go find them and watch - they are evil terrorist scum and I hope Israel kills them all.

If Hamas did not hide behind civilians - then no civilians would be killed. Just because they are not wearing a uniform, does not mean they are not Hamas. Saw a video recently of Hamas people sending multiple mortar rockets from inside a building - dressed as civilians. They are evil terrorist scum and I hope the Isreal army kills evey single one of them.

As that bloke found out the hard way, going back to 'serve out the 2 years' is not the way to do it. You go back because now because you are getting the age pension and benfits, and therefore you can now afford to live in Australia - permanently. Anything - ANY THING - that makes it look like you are merely do it to then p-off in 2 years can be denied. You must make it look like you are returning permanently - the rules have changed - portability is not a 'right' nor is the pension. Rent a cheap 1 bedroom unit somewhere and claim the rental subsidy. Open bank accounts, get a driving licence, get club memberships, etc etc etc - make it look like you are staying (forever). Report everything you are doing to Clink - write a letter and upload it online. Update your assets and liabilities - try to save up some money - apply for jobs (you wont get anything of course). Do your tax returns - and do not go visit Thailand or anywhere else overseas. Do not say to anyone that you are planning to return to Thailand - no one. CLink gets a lot of 'reports' - especially about old blokes going overseas from old women whose hubby 'spilled the beans' on another bloke. Then - after 2 years and 3 months in Aust - ring CLink and ask what the rules are about portability - ask can you visit OSeas. Say it is too expensive to live in Australia and that you are getting nowhere - and you cannot find a job to top up the pension - bla bla bla. Dont mention Thailand, other than saying you are thinking of maybe living on Bali, or Philippines, or Thailand, or Vietnam - because cheaper. Say you have spoken to a few blokes down the club and they have said how cheap it is - and that Thailand was much cheaper too. 2-3 months later send a letter to Clink saying you are going to stay with an old friend in Thailand for a few months. 2 months later send a letter to Clink saying you are going to stay in Thailand for maybe a year or so. Stay. All Done. There are blokes being denied the pension and/or portability, because they spoke too much and CLink decided that they never inteneded to stay living in Australia. The rule is simple (idiotic but simple). Yopu must be in Australia to apply, and you must intend to stay permanently in Australia. Once you have the Pension and have 'qualified' - then you can 'change your mind' and moive overseas and keep the pension. I did it in reverse - I returned to Australia 5 years before pension age and waited. Told everyone I was staying - did all thsoe things above and a lot more. 2 months after getting the pension I moved back to Thailand - no problems. CLink is simple - they are all feminist man-haters who despise the idea of an older bloke having fun with young Thai girls. That is how you MUST view them (not 100% are) - because everything you say and send to them 'will be held against you later'. Tell them nothing (other than what you have planned).

Hope you find it - before Uncle Billy-Joe finds you

Seems to me that quite a few people are arguing what 'this clause' or 'that clause' means under a DTA. @Sheryl Is merely pointing out what the rule states - there is no point arguing about it guys. Exactly how the Thai RD determines how any applicable DTA clause will/wont apply, is solely up to the Thai RD. This is not the West where the rules and laws are detailed and people can 'push back' on what they mean in application. This is one of the many issues that the Thai RD must now address - they never have for personal taxes in the past. We will all have to wait until the Thai RD releases its clarifications and exemptions and determinations, before 'knowing' anything. Arguing over what a clause/paragraph in a DTA or the Thai RD Guidelines is a waste of time. IMO best to start preparing and planning and wait - best case scenario, worst case scenario, acceptable scenario. The Thai RD has been 'operating' for decades based upon very few detailed definitive 'guidances'. A lot of their rules/interpretations have been sorted out in Court - it is a very complex thing writing tax laws/rules. This change is being made (for obvious reasons) to an 'interpretation' that was ratified in a Court over 30 years ago. The reason is simple - the Govt needs more money - but they have under-estimated how hard this will be (far too many issues). My plan is simple - and it seems others are of the same thought. I am bringing forward remittances into Thailand this year (for 2024) and will bring in the absolute minimum in 2024. Before the end of 2024 it should be clear what the Thai RD is going to do regarding remittances into Thailand by retired/married Expats. It could also be that the Thai Govt does what Malaysia did, and defers implementation for a few years. Malaysia did that because it was going to take that long to determine all the rules and clarifications etc. and publish them. If I am going to be 'forced' to lodge a tax return in 2025 and it appears I will be paying income taxes - then we are leaving Thailand. Unless it is a resonable amount and I get something in return - legal rights, no 90 days, no annual begging to stay, health services, etc.

My thoughts exactly - I hope he has not already paid the deposit.

Reading Poms arguing over the road rules in UK - Hilarious Poms 'explaining' any situation in Thailand - Abolutely Hilarious. Demanding 'constructive' posts - meaning 'what I agree with' - Delusional and Hilarious. Get a Life and Have a Great Day

Maybe Enoch Powell's unheeded words of wisdom will come true soon. Seems to me, as an outside observer, that pro-Palestine demonstrators have the right to 'peacefully' show their support. But to allow that 'support' anywhere near the Cenotaph, or other people supporting Armistance Day rememberances, is wrong. And if/when Hama nutters start shouting out viscious hatred to Israel and to Kill the Jews - they should be arrested and jailed. If they dont get arrested, like those who abused people in a BLM/LGTQ rally, then people will eventually take the law into their own hands.

Judging by all your argumentative (UK centric) posts - same - BLOCKED. And no one gives a rat's rear either - especially not me.

She means 99% of the Thai girls she meets at work?

That is why so many blokes put up with their special type of 'abuse' - and then it is too late to leave - and next is that she/family kick you out. It aint ever going to be better to stay, and it aint ever going to be easy to leave. The plan IMO should be to go somewhewre where she cannot find you - perhaps another country would be best - The Philippines? Spain? Plenty of single blokes down Jopmtein/Pattaya way that have been through exactly what you are going through. Somewhere you can go and live by yourself for a while and let things work themselves out. After that maybe you can find another - but dont look there - look elsewhere for a good keeper.

Why are you guys arguing over the road rules in UK?

ROFLOL - Do you feel the same when Thais use the term Farang ?? Get over yourself mate - it is a generic term to signifiy a young Thai male who drives a car/pickup/bike far too fast. If you do actually live here, you will see it is never young Thai females - hence male name Somchai.

Thanks mate - much appreciated. I wont smoke because of both lung issues and also because I might start again. But your post is full of usful information and is much appreciated by me and others too.

This is not UK or Aust guys - things that happened back home and the laws back home, mean absolutely nothing here.

I hear you - BUT - the reason (besides the hit) I say that is because the other cars were stopped at the lights - Somchai just went stright through. I would not be surprised if he saw the green lights and went upo the inside (at speed). But I am only surmising - as are you. In my experience 'Somchais' are extremely dangerous drivers that in the West would eventually be caught and locked up and vehicle confiscated.

Another 'quality' tourist visiting Thailand - and this goes on and on nearly every day. Another gun shooting and death. Another boat accident and death. Another series of violent assults. And on and on and on it goes - and the Baht still way too high And they wonder why the Chinese are reluctant to come here.

Yeh right mate - no wuking furries - I believe that totally - NOT.

Clearly the pickup hit the ambulance - not the other way around. Looks to me that Somchain (in pickup) was doing his usual and driving dangerously fast. He probably did not even see the ambulance with its lights on etc. until just before he hit it - they never do. I dont want Thailand to become like Australia with speed cameras everywhere - that is for sure. But they gotta nail these Somchais driving their pickups like they did when on their scooters - dangerously fast.

And all the roadworks and the flooding mitigation system.

And I figure you can also guess which way I would have voted too

Thanks mate - very much appreciated for sending that. Let us know how you go next week. Still looking and checking myself - found some research articles below. Medicinal Cannabis for Treatment of Chronic Pain - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov) Use of Cannabis and Other Pain Treatments Among Adults With Chronic Pain in US States With Medical Cannabis Programs | Opioids | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network Medicinal cannabis for pain: Real-world data on three-month changes in symptoms and quality of life - Kylie O’Brien, Justin Beilby, Michelle Frans, Michael Lynskey, Michael Barnes, Mihindu Jayasuriya, Alkyoni Athanasiou-Fragkouli, Philip Blair, David Nutt, 2023 (sagepub.com)

Indigenous - (of people) inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists. Do you mean the indidenous aboriginees that came 70-80k years ago, or one of the many waves of peoples that came afterwards, with the last 'wave' being about 12K years ago - just before the seas rose (due to 'climate warming') and the land mass was cut off. And I guess you mean 'Australian' Indigenous - as in those that were on the land mass named Australia when found by the 'colonists' - Or are you referring to members of one of the many hundreds of nomadic tribes that wandered around that land we named Australia?

What happens is that the KK Immi Officers will do a home visit - make sure he has a 'witness' ready to talk to them. They come inside the house as a check that he lives live there, take photos with him/wife/them, and then talk to witness. That is all bundled, together with his application documents and sent to Bangkok. Bangkok approve or disapprove and send back to KK who then will give stamp in Passport if approved. There is an online check system for the Bangkok part - KK should have given him details or maybe not available to them. That is of course if that is the same system as they did down here. Maybe KK approve or disapprove themselves - I have no idea.